#coralhelm

‘Retreat to Coralhelm’ releases as a print this Thurs 15 Jun, 12PM (PT) 🐚 I was given a brief to paint an environment scene: a city made of coral & conch shells surrounded & submerged in water. I rarely paint landscapes and scenes so I wanted to cry immediately haha, but I pulled through.

I wanted to focus on storytelling, to have people look at the paintings and 'believe' that the environment could truly exist with stories that unfold within. In the piece, two adventurers return home from a pilgrimage. Before them, a majestic city of giant conch shells spanning the expanse of a submerged crater with cascading waterfalls surrounding the city.

One of the coolest aspects of this painting (and Mystic Remora) was this technique I’d developed to portray light rays breaking through the water’s surface. I’d never really painted anything under water, but I was able to figure out a technique and get that effect! 🥹

Next Thurs 15th Jun, 12PM (PT) I’ll be releasing four new prints on my store! These paintings were for Magic the Gathering’s June Secret Lair Collection, and will all be available for 72-hrs as a Timed Edition. Utopia Sprawl & Mystic Remora will also be available as a special Gold Edition (embellished w. gold foil & larger print size)

⭐️ GOLD EDITION: Gold-foil embellished, limited to 250 prints ⭐️ TIMED EDITION: Non-foil print, available for 72-hrs upon release

‘Retreat to Coralhelm,’ the third of four cards I painted for Magic the Gathering cards as part of the June ’22 Secret Lair drop! One thing I wanted to focus on throughout these paintings was storytelling and world-building. Concept artists do this all the time! By combining all the little details of the scene, there should be a sensibility to it all that could make the scene or world feel believable — the cascading waterfalls, the flying rays, the floating conch shells and the overgrown aquaflora flourishing around the cliffs and beneath the water. I just wanted people to look and 'believe' that these worlds could truly exist! On a side note, one part I was SUPER proud of was the underwater effect and the light rays breaking through the surface! It took a lot of experimentation to figure a technique, starting with trialing it on the Mystic Remora piece. But by this painting, I think I really nailed it on the head! 😄👊🏼

#brbchasingdreams

Coralhelm Guide